Work on Wilmette beaches takes advantage of mild weather

Construction projects at Wilmette’s two primary beaches are progressing well, park district staff reported to the Wilmette Park Board on Nov. 11.

The construction update provided at Monday’s regular meeting included photos of the work that’s been happening at both Gillson Park and Langdon beaches.

At the June regular meeting, park commissioners approved construction bids for both projects. The Langdon Beach work includes the building of a revetment and access path, while at Gillson, work is focused on the parking lot and surrounding areas, including storm sewer replacement, resurfacing and patchwork, sidewalk and curb replacement, and pavement markings.

Park District Executive Director Steve Wilson highlighted the work in his memo to the board, which can be found in the meeting packet.

The Langdon work mostly consists of crushing existing rocks, which he wrote will make “the subbase layer before placing the new armor stone on top to make the new revetment.”

Work on the path, which will connect Langdon to Sheridan Road, will begin once the revetment is done, according to Wilson’s memo.

At Gillson, he wrote that work began closest to the beach and will eventually move out of the park as work progresses into the spring.

“Along Overlook (Drive), roadways, sidewalks and sewers were all removed, sewers cleared and repaired, and portions of the new sidewalks have been installed,” Wilson wrote. “In the roadway, the subbase has been put in place along Overlook and the base of concrete has begun.”

As work on Overlook is completed, Wilson said work will then move to Middle Drive.

Kristi Solberg, superintendent of parks and planning, said Langdon efforts began in September, while Gillson started on Oct 21, and both projects are progressing as expected.

“(The Langdon contractors) are just working their way through the slope and are going to continue to move out of the park,” she said.

At both sites, Solberg said the mild weather has contributed to a substantial amount of work completed.

“It has been very successful, minus two days of rainouts,” and two half-days of cleanup, she said about Gillson. “We really have seen some great weather days, which has helped with the progression of the project.”

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